Her Agony, His Atonement
by Screaming Amor
Summary: When her hearts beats for only one, and he falls, an older brother is left to pick up her shattered self.


As he fell, it seemed the world stood still, even herself. The female shinigami couldn't get to him, couldn't stop that blue haired man from falling, even though she was so close to him. Her small cry uttered forth from her lips was nothing, nothing that was heard, a meaningless sound, but a sound of pain nonetheless.

That man had tortured her; he had beat her senseless and she had ended up in the infirmary, for days on end. And through it all, there grew to be a mutual understanding between the two. He soon trained her, showing her and teaching her how to become stronger, how to use things that she had once seen as liabilities as new assets. In time, that respect as well grew to be something more confidential, something that the female Kuchiki enjoyed and relished in. Unknowing to her, the Espada as well enjoyed such, though it was only in rarity that he let such emotions show.

For a period of three months, the two had become inexplicitly close.

To have that ripped from Rukia, to have someone that important now destroyed right before her eyes shattered her soul. Her cry of sorrow and pain turned into one of anger, and she jumped at Aizen, her snarl heard by all. It was pure defiance and anger radiating through her, something that very few could claim to have experience.

Whether she wished to admit it or now, Rukia Kuchiki had loved Grimmjow Jaggerjaques, had loved him with all she had. And he in turn had returned that love to her. Through the war, they had managed to escape from Hueco Mundo, to regroup with those that had saved her previously in the human world. There they had made the final stand against the traitors of the Soul Society, praying to any deity that they would be victorious. Despite the misgivings about Grimmjow, they had trusted him enough not to turn tail on the enemies of Aizen and crawl back to his former commander.

As the metal sliced through her, the woman barely felt a thing. That is, until she looked down to see his body, laying a hundred feet below them. It was broken and silent, unmoving. Grimmjow was dead, completely and utterly gone from this world.

Rukia promised herself that she would not cry.

That too was a lie.

More slashes, and she had only seen that her pure white sword had just nicked him, only drawing a few drops of blood. In that matter, she had lost. Rukia Kuchiki gasped, gurgling blood as it leaked from the corner of her lips, before her body gave out. As her limp form fell, the world slowly faded in an out of black, of darkness and despair. A pair of strong arms caught her, and looking up at the man's face, she expected to see Ichigo. Instead, it was her adoptive brother. His grey eyes bore into hers, and they descended, slowly, despite the fact that every move for her was pure agony. "You'll live," he murmured, cradling the woman in his arms. Perhaps this was his chance at redemption from before, being unable to save his younger sister when he could have, until the very last moment.

She didn't say anything. The younger Kuchiki closed her purple eyes, just letting go of the world for now. It wasn't worth living if Grimmjow wasn't here. It just wasn't worth it anymore. Apparently her brother had noticed this, and he waited until she reopened her eyes. Though the words that came from him were harsh, his gaze was not.

"Stop your mourning. You will not die, no matter how much you wish to."

There were many unspoken words from there, of a time where he had wished the same, wished to slit his throat to be with his long dead wife. She gave a small nod, and her eyes closed once more. This was a darkness she welcomed, and yet again hated because it was not permanent as Grimmjow's was.

He smiled, though it was only the slight upturn of the corners of his mouth. Rukia would live, and he would keep her head above the water. It was redemption for scoffing at her attachment to Kaien and not supporting her after she had killed him.

Byakuya Kuchiki set her down gently on the ground, next to what - no, who had once been the enemy. He was a foe no longer, a fallen comrade. Only once in his life he had taken off his scarf, and now, he did it again. The captain draped it over their bodies. Rukia, unconscious, would not feel a thing. He would let them have their time together.

It was a time that he had not been allowed.


End file.
